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(ModeL) O. S. REES 8; P. MILLS.

LOOK FOR SLIDING DOORS.

Patented Mar.27,1883.

No.274.658. h

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIeE.

CHARLES s; REES AND PATRICK MILLS, or PUEBLO, COLORADO.

LOCK FOR SLIDING DOORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 274,658, dated March 27, 1883.

Application filed October 17, 1882. (ModeLl 7 V on railroads.

The object of our invention is to construct a lock for the purposes above expressed which shall combine simplicity and efficiency with safety.

The invention relates to looks in which movable jaws or hooks controlled by springs and stops are combined with a catch of dart-head or equivalent construction 5 and it consistsina novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,iessentially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to behad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents an exterior view of the side of a freight-car in part with our improved lock applied to the sliding door thereof. Fig. 2 is a view of the key of the lock. Fig.3is an inside face view of the lock and its catch in partial section, and Fig. 4 a transverse section of the lock on the line a win Fig. 3. i p

A is the lock-case,made with suitableinside and face flanges, and secured by screws to or on the inside of the sliding door B.

Oisthestrike-plate, of box-like construction, with flanges stiffened by braces 01- a,for securing it to the jamb of the door, into which itis inserted, and holds within it a dart-head catch, D.

E E are the movable jaws or hooks, pivoted at b b to the lock-case, and closed by springs c 0, applied to their backs and arrested when closing from coming together by stops at d.

Blocks e c are cast in the corner of the lockcase to strengthen the lock and to provide for the firm fastening of the'cover F. i

G is a pivoted tumbler, arranged between the hooked jaws E E, for operation upon them both simultaneously to open or force them apart. It turns upon a pin or post, f, secured to the lock-case and extending outward to its front to receive the pipe portion of the key H, and to serve as a guide to the key. Said tumbler is formed with a cavity, g,of hexagonal or other polygonal shape in its transverse section, fora correspondingly-shaped enlarged portion, h, of the key, outside of its pipe 2', to enter and turn the tumbler, as required. Whenthe door is open and the tumbler G is turned so that the hooked jaws E E are forced by their springs 0c against the stops d d, then the door may be closed and locked by simply pushing or sliding it to close it, so that the hooked jaws E Ereceive within them the darthead catch D. Upon turning the tumbler G by the key H to the right to unlock the door said tumbler, which is of double-cam or leaf form, as shown, acts first upon plain portions 70 k of the inside of the jaws E E to force them apart, and after being turned partly round drops into recesses l l in the jaws and against shoulders m m to hold the jaws extended and leave the lock open,wheu the key may be removed and the door B may be opened and closed as if there were no lock; or the key H and tumbler G may be turned to the right still farther or wholly round,which will place the jaws E E once more in a selfclosing position.

The key-hole in the door and in a plate, I, on the outside, of it is of circular form, as shown by dotted lines n in Fig. 1, and of sufficient diameter to admit the enlarged polygonal-shaped portion h of the key through it, thereby not exposing the necessary shape of the key.

i An escutcheon, J, may be arranged over the key-hole,with attached seal-box K, for protecting the lock against insertion of the key without detection, as freight-car doors areordinarily secured; but even if the seal be broken, or where there is no such protection, the manner of opening the look by requiring the tumbler to be turned only partlyaround will act as a oh eck or safe-guard against others than those authorized to use the key from opening the lock, inasmuch as if the tumblers be turned beyond a given point, or the key be turned wholly round. the lock will not be opened, but

the locking-jaws return, after being sprung back, to their engagement with the catch;

We are aware that it is not new, broadly,

to employ two oppositely disposed pivoted vto automatically close or come together when released from the action of the cam or tumbler.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent In a lock, the pivoted hooked spring-jaws E, having abrupt shoulders an, arranged one on each side of a vertical plane passing through the keyhole, or diagonally opposite to each other, and facing in opposite directions, said jaws also having oppositely-inclined recesses 1, extending from the bases of said shoulders, in combination with the centrally-pivoted cam or tumbler G, having oppositely-extended arms, adapted to bear against the shoulders m of thejaws E, whereby by a certain extent of movement of the key or the tumbler the opening of-the lock is effected, while by further movement of the key or tumbler the jaws will be permitted to close, as set forth.

CHARLES S. REES. PATRICK MILLS. Witnesses:

J. J. LAMBERT, W. H. FAYETTE. 

